Cards selectively usable for playing a game or for producing a motion picture effect



Dec. 1, 1964 BRAMBIER 3,159,405

CARDS SELECTIVELY USABLE FOR PLAYING A GAME OR FOR PRODUCING A MOTION PICTURE EFFECT Filed Sept.- 9. 1960 FIG. 2.

INVENTOR IRVING BRAMBIER ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,159,405 CARDS SELECTIVELY USABLE FOR PLAYING A GAME OR FOR PRODUCING A MOTiON PIC- TURF. EFFECT Irving Eramhier, 841 Duncan Drive, Westbury, N.Y. Filed Sept. 9, 1960, Ser. No. 54,998 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-1522) This invention relates to playing cards, more particularly to a playing card structure in which the backs of the cards of the deck are provided with markings permitting use of the cards to form a moving picture.

A variety of playing cards have been evolved serving the twofold function of providing a game for children and simultaneously acting as a visual aid to educational procedures. As is apparent, the primary purpose of the game playing function is to evoke the childs interest in the cards so as to enable their use for education purposes. Often however the complexity of the game is beyond the skill or interest of the child. Thus other means must be employed in order to gain the childs attention.

It is with the above desiderata in mind that the present means have been evolved, means providing a novel card, or card game, in which a moving picture is provided by the normally unused back of the card to increase the utility of the card and serve to develop the childs interest in the cards as an object of play.

It is accordingly a primary object of this invention to provide an improved card structure.

Another object of this invention is to provide means increasing the interest evoking quality of a card.

It is also an object of the invention to provide means utilizing the normally unused back portion of a playing card employed in a card game.

A further object of the invention is to provide means encouraging a child to learn to arrange items in a seriatim order.

These and other objects of the invention which will become hereafter apparent are achieved by provision of a playing card with a back surface having a manually grippable portion and an indicia portion. On the indicia portion, an object arranged at one point of its movement through a given series of motions is depicted. A plurc ity of such cards are provided with the indicia portion having an object shown in different positions during its movement so that by combining the cards and arranging for their flipping or seriatim display a motion picture effect is provided.

A primary feature of the invention resides in the fact that a normally unused portion of a playing card may now be utilized to increase the educational value of a deck of cards and simultaneously increase the amusement quality of the cards.

The specific details of a preferred embodiment of the invention, and their mode of functioning will be made most manifest and particularly pointed out in clear, concise and exact terms in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of a deck of cards with a portion of the backs thereof exposed to reveal how the instant invention permits utilization of the back of the card to obtain a moving picture effect; and

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the faces of several of the cards illustrated in FIG. 1 displaced from each other to reveal the use of a seriatim numbering code by means of which the child may simultaneously learn series arrange ments, and obtain the necessary ordering of the cards to permit use for obtaining a moving picture.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, like numerals in the various figures will be taken to designate like parts.

3,159,405 Patented Dec. 1, 1964 ice As seen in the drawings, a deck of cards 19 is shown comprising a plurality of cards, four of which are shown in FIG. 2 labelled respectively 11, 12, 13 and 14. The back of card 11 is shown in FIG. 1 and is typical in that it comprises a manually grippable portion 15 and an indicia bearing portion 16. Manually grippable portion 15 preferably occupies at least one third of the card, the lower portion here being shown employed. indicia bearing portion 16 is on the part of the back of the card remote from the manually grippab-le portion and is provided with a marking depicting an object or figure 20a in one stage of movement.

Card 12, like card 11, is provided on its back with a manually grippable portion and an indicia bearing portion, and the indicia hearing portion has formed thereon a marking depicting an object or figure 20b like figure Ztla but in a stage of movement slightly different from that of 20a.

Card 13 is provided with figure 20c and card 14 with figure 20d on their indicia bearing portions, with figures 20a, 29b, Ztlc and 20d depicting a consecutive series of movements of an object or figure which is calculated to prove attractive to the card user. In the instant disclosed embodiment of the invention, a horse riding cowboy is shown.

The front faces of the cards utilized are provided with any desired indicia such as normally utilized on the. playing faces of cards. Additionally a series of ordering symbols which may be numerical or alphabetical are arranged either on the front face, or on the back face of the card. In the illustrated embodiment, the front face is utilized for a purpose to become hereinafter apparent. The ordering symbols shown inverted at the lower right hand corner of the faces of the cards illustrated in FIG. 2, are those of a conventionally known ordered series.

Operation In use, the aforedesciibed deck of cards may be utilized for playing any of the games normally played with cards.

In order to promote interest in the cards, or in order to extend the utility .of the cards, they may also be employed to provide a moving picture. This is done by arranging the cards in a seriatim pile, employing the ordering symbols heretofore referred to.

These ordering symbols which are shown in FIG. 2 as a numerical sequence are preferably arranged on the face of the card so as to promote interest in the subject matter appearing on the face of the card, and further serving to increase the surprise provided by the moving picture. After the cards are arranged in an ordered pile with each of the cards in series, and aligned, they are gripped between the thumb and forefinger of one hand over the manually grippable portion of the cards, and the thumb of the other hand is run over the free ends of the deck of cards to flipthe cards, so as to rapidly expose one card at a time thereby presenting for view each of the marking figures 2t) appearing on the indicia bearing portion of the cards. The seriatim exposure of the indicia bearing portions 16 of the cards results in the visual effects of a moving picture.

The process of arranging the cards in the necessary order will enable the user to improve his familiarity with the symbols of conventional ordered series such as numbers or alphabets. Any defect in arrangement of the cards will show up as an irregularity in the moving picture.

If desired, the ordering symbols may be arranged in a different place on each card so as to force the child to learn to identify the symbol in different positions.

The manually grippable portion of the back of the card may be utilized for imprinting of any desired information or the like such as instructions, advertising, or the like.

It is thus seen that by employing applicants novel means comprising the arrangement of a figure or object in various stages of motion on an indicia bearing portion of the back of each of the cards of a deck, the utility, and interest of the cards is enhanced.

The above disclosure has been given by Way of illustration and elucidation, and not by way of limitation, and it is desired to protect all embodiments of the hereindisclosed inventive concept within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A deck of playing cards comprising: a plurality of separate cards, each of said plurality of separate cards having its face marked with suitable indicia adapting the cards for use in the playing of a card game; a back on said cards', the back of each card containing a manually grippable area; an indicia area spaced from the grippable area on the back of each card, said grippable area and said indicia area relatively positioned so that while the deck is gripped with one hand the cards may be flipped with the other, each indicia area containing a marking,

i the marking on the indicia area of each card showing a subject at a different one of various points in its movement through a given action such that the viewing of the different markings on the cards in a seriatim sequence gives the effect of a moving picture.

2. A deck of cards as in claim 1 in which a symbol of an ordered series is imprinted on each card enabling the ordered arrangement of the cards.

3. A deck of cards as in claim 2 in which the ordering symbol is arranged on the front face of the card.

4. A deck of cards as in claim 2 in which the ordering symbol is arranged on the back of each card.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 577,345 Benjamin Feb. 16, 1897 853,699 Keen -1 May 14, 1907 1,787,592 Owens Jan. 6, 1931 2,616,701 Bumstead Nov. 4, 1952 2,663,418 Grunwald Dec. 22, 1953 

1. A DECK OF PLAYING CARDS COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE CARDS, EACH OF SAID PLURALITY OF SEPARATE CARDS HAVING ITS FACE MARKED WITH SUITABLE INDICIA ADAPTING THE CARDS FOR USE IN THE PLAYING OF A CARD GAME; A BACK ON SAID CARDS, THE BACK OF EACH CARD CONTAINING A MANUALLY GRIPPABLE AREA; AN INDICIA AREA SPACED FROM THE GRIPPABLE AREA ON THE BACK OF EACH CARD, SAID GRIPPABLE AREA AND SAID INDICIA AREA RELATIVELY POSITIONED SO THAT WHILE THE DECK IS GRIPPED WITH ONE HAND THE CARDS MAY BE FLIPPED WITH THE OTHER, EACH INDICIA AREA CONTAINING A MARKING, THE MARKING ON THE INDICIA AREA OF EACH CARD SHOWING A SUBJECT AT A DIFFERENT ONE OF VARIOUS POINTS IN ITS MOVEMENT THROUGH A GIVEN ACTION SUCH THAT THE VIEWING OF THE DIFFERENT MARKINGS ON THE CARDS IN A SERIATIM SEQUENCE GIVES THE EFFECT OF A MOVING PICTURE. 